Method for operating a system of the iron and steel industry

Abstract

A method for operating a system of the iron and steel industry for producing a metal product with participation of a severing or forming device. The actual value of an indicator be calculated over a length section of the metal product for the metal product to be produced. The indicator represents the resistance of the metal product to severing or forming processes. The calculated actual value p Ist for the indicator p is then compared to a predefined threshold value. The severing or forming also only actually takes place when the actual value of the indicator of the metal product is less than the threshold value. If a comparison should show that the actual value of the indicator is greater than the threshold value, before the severing or forming of the metal product, a local processing of the metal product is performed in the corresponding length section.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 defining a length section (Lx) of a metal product; 
 guiding a metal strip through a combined casting and rolling system; and 
 tracking the defined length section of the metal product during its guidance through the combined casting and rolling system; 
 predefining a threshold value for the performance of a severing or forming device; 
 calculating, with a neural network, an actual value p Ist  for an indicator p of the metal product in the defined length section, wherein the indicator p represents resistance of the metal product to severing or forming processes; 
 deciding, with the neural network, whether a severing device or a forming device of the combined casting and rolling system varies parameters in calculating the actual value p Ist  for the indicator p; 
 comparing the calculated actual value p Ist  of the indicator p to the predefined threshold value for the indicator p; and 
 severing or forming the metal product in the defined length section only when the actual value p Ist  of the indicator p is less than the threshold value. 
 
     
     
       2. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the actual value p Ist  for indicator p is calculated according to:
     P   Ist   =f ( w,d,T,k   f ) 
 wherein 
 d denotes a thickness of the metal product in the defined length section, 
 w denotes a width of the metal product in the defined length section, 
 T denotes a temperature of the metal product in the defined length section, 
 k f  denotes a strength of the metal product in the defined length section, 
 f denotes a functional linkage between w, d, T, and k f , the actual value p Ist  of the indicator increases in proportion to the thickness, the width, and the strength of the metal product, and the actual value p Ist  decreases in proportion to the temperature of the metal product. 
 
     
     
       3. The method as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising:
 reducing the thickness d of the metal product in the defined length section. 
 
     
     
       4. The method as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein measures for processing the metal product are changed based upon changed operating conditions during running operation of the combined casting and rolling system. 
     
     
       5. The method as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising:
 reducing the width w of the metal product in the defined length section. 
 
     
     
       6. The method as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising:
 increasing the temperature T of the metal product in the defined length section. 
 
     
     
       7. The method as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising:
 reducing the strength k f  of the metal product in the defined length section. 
 
     
     
       8. The method as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the reduction of the strength k f  is carried out by cooling the metal product using a suitable cooling strategy in a cooling device of the combined casting and rolling system. 
     
     
       9. The method as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the reduction of the strength k f  is carried out by a suitable variation of process variables by a microstructure model. 
     
     
       10. The method as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein reduction of the strength k f  has a parabolic profile over the defined length section.